Shumaun walk the line between being prog and being mainstream rock. The songs on their self titled debut are of the verse/chorus/verse variety and all are fairly well written songs. Lead vocalist (and mastermind) Farhad Hossain has a really strong voice which has a “radio-friendly” vibe to it. This is similar to his former band, Iris Divine.

Most of the songs are of the uptempo alt-rock variety. But far more intelligent than the run of the mill garbage on the radio. For example “When It’s Our Turn” is an AOR ballad which is very catchy and something you’d assume you’d hear on the radio. And the whole album is very accessible and easy to listen to. But once you’ve heard it, you have it figured out. No twists or turns, just great music.

While the band are all very capable musicians, but they never over play. Their playing always serves the songs, first and foremost. The soloing is always quite good though. Check out the guitar solo on “The Drop” for example. It’s not a long, drawn out solo but it does have some fire to it.

Another nice bonus is that the drumming on the album is provided by Travis Orbin and Mark Zonder, since the band’s drummer Tanvir Tomal was unable to take part in the recording due to prior commitments. Orbin provides the drums on the lead single “Ambrosia” which is one of the heavier tracks on the album. As I mentioned before, the solos are always there to fit the song and the guitar solo on “Ambrosia” is another example of that.

Great vocals, well-written songs, and solid musicianship are the hallmarks for the debut self-titled release by Shumaun. It’s a very enjoyable album for anyone who likes to sing along with their music. With Shumaun, the songs come first. And that makes for a very enjoyable experience.

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:
1. A New Revolution
2. Miracles of Yesterday
3. You and I Will Change the World
4. Keep It Together
5. We Always Disappear
6. When It’s Our Turn
7. The Drop
8. Ambrosia
9. Floods
10. Sunrise at Midnight
11. The Dream of the Sleeper
12. Numbers

Bandcamp: shumaun.bandcamp.com